In September 2021, members of the Monongalia County Quick Response Team (QRT), along with dozens of volunteers, distributed more than 700 two-dose kits of naloxone for free and instructed individuals on how to use it.
This Saturday, the QRT, which is a collaboration among several local organizations dedicated to providing immediate and longer-term help to those struggling with substance abuse, will be doing it again for Save a Life Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 11 locations throughout Monongalia County.
“Our goal is to save as many lives as possible,” said Jon Dower, director of operations of West Virginia Sober Living and a member of the Monongalia County QRT, in a recent press release. “Education and dispelling myths related to naloxone allow for a reduction in stigma and encourages our community to be part of the solution to this disease plaguing our community and our state.”
Naloxone, sometimes known by the brand name Narcan, is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The QRT wants the community to know it’s not just people who suffer from drug addiction who are in danger of overdosing, so it is important to increase awareness and availability of the life-saving drug.
“People often think that Narcan is only for people who frequently use drugs,” said Brittany Irick, coordinator of the Monongalia County QRT. “But the thing about opioids is it’s a medicine that a lot of people have in their medicine cabinet, so there’s a chance that a kid could get into it or an elderly person could take too much of something. There’s more than one situation than just being someone that uses drugs and overdoses from opioids.”
Joe Klass, chief of operations of Monongalia County Health Department Threat Preparedness and a paramedic who teaches naloxone administration, said in the release there have been “numerous reports of fentanyl being pressed into pills to resemble other types of medications.”
Counterfeit pills are often difficult to spot, Klass said. “One of the takeaways from this is the importance of having naloxone and naloxone training, even if you don’t think you will have any interactions with opioids or opioid use.”
The group hopes to distribute 1,000 naloxone kits Saturday, each with two doses, but aren’t sure how the weather will affect the turnout.
“If we can get a few hundred or any amount that we can get into the hands of community members, we’re happy with that because that is one life they can save,” said Irick.
Each of the locations will offer the free naloxone kits and training demonstrations that should take about 10 minutes. The demonstrations will take place on a continuous basis as people show up to be trained.
In addition to naloxone distribution, five locations will also be offering free COVID vaccines and one will have rapid HIV testing available.
The six locations offering naloxone kits and training only are McDonald’s restaurants at Pierpont, Star City and Suncrest Towne Centre, the WVU Student Recreation Center, Pierpont Pharmacy/Mid-Atlantic Market, and the Blacksville 7-Eleven.
Locations offering naloxone and COVID vaccines are Westover McDonald’s, Woodland United Methodist Church, Hotel M, the WVU Mountainlair and Sabraton McDonald’s.
The Sabraton McDonald’s will also be providing free rapid HIV tests.
“There are many situations where you could encounter someone who might be overdosing and if you have that training and no one else around you does, and EMS or law enforcement hasn’t arrived yet, you could save that person’s life just by having that training and having that Narcan readily available,” Irick said.
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